Adventurer Sarah Outen inspires Stamford High School pupils before world trip

Adventurer Sarah Outen, pictured with head boy of Stamford School Freddie Babbs and head girl of Stamford High School Louise Thomson, delivered an inspirational foundation lecture about her expedition London2London: Via the World

An adventurer took time out of making of preparing ahead of embarking on crossing the

Pacific Ocean, to talk to school pupils.

As well as packing her supplies onto her new boat Happy Socks former Stamford High School pupil Sarah Outen, 27, from Oakham, returned to her old school on Tuesday to deliver an inspirational foundation lecture about her expedition London2London: Via the World.

Sarah has cycled and kayaked more than 11,000 miles from London to Japan and shared her experiences with a packed audience of pupils, parents and staff.

The double world record holder had to cut short her attempt to travel around the world using manpower alone in June when her rowing boat Gulliver broke up in a tropical storm while she was crossing the Pacific Ocean.

The Japanese coastguard rescued Sarah from the sea exhausted and dehydrated, having battled 45ft waves and 100mph winds for three days.

Sarah began the lecture by describing her vision to complete a loop of the planet from London back to London, using only human power.

Sarah said: “I wanted to use a bike for the green bits, a rowing boat for the blue bits and a kayak for the smaller blue bits.”

Sarah is due to return to Japan next week.

She will be recommencing the London2London expedition weather permitting from April 1 with help from the Stamford Endowed Schools which will be sponsoring her oars.

Principal of the Stamford Endowed Schools Stephen Roberts, said: “Sarah is an exceptional individual who is an inspiration to everyone at the Schools. We wish her the best of luck over the coming months and we look forward to hearing more of her adventures upon her return.”

Sarah, who became the first woman and youngest person to row solo across the Indian Ocean in 2009, started her London2London via the World expedition in April 2011.

She kayaked along the Thames and then across the English Channel, cycled across Europe, Russia and China before rowing across the North Pacific to Japan.